It’s Friday! How are you doing? I’m excited about today’s post: it’s all about making history and recording it. ‘How?’ you might wonder? So glad you asked.

Allow me to introduce you to Ger Duany. Ger was a former child soldier and lost boy, who fled the war in Sudan, and walked to Ethiopia, then Kenya, faced trials most of us can’t imagine going through, before finding his way to America. GER: TO BE SEPARATE is a documentary filmed by award winning Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu (FROM A WHISPER, PUMZI). The documentary is in its final stages. A fundraising has been put in place to help cover the remaining cost. Please, please, spread the word… 🙂

Here’s more about the project, from the producer’s account–Again, PLEASE, spread the word if you can:

You’ve probably watched “Lost Boys of Sudan” or “God Grew Tired of Us” in theaters and you cried your heart out and subconsciously still wonder, how the hell are these lost boys from Sudan adapting to the American life-style?

Well, it’s your lucky day because they are doing fine, well, at least we know one of them is and his name is Ger Duany. No, he wasn’t in either films mentioned above, but, he was one of the child soldiers and lost boys who fled the war in the formerly united Sudan and walked for miles to get to a refugee camp in Ethiopia then Kenya, and after many struggles he was one of the lucky ones that made it out on a plane to America.

In America, he encountered many obstacles but fate led him to his debut on Hollywood’s silver screen where he played a refugee in the movie “I Heart Huckabees”. Director David O. Russell said he wanted someone who endured the real life experience of being a refugee to play the role. Soon after, Ger met supermodel Tyson Beckford, who saw Ger’s modeling potential which opened doors to a modeling career and a shoot with photographer Norman Watson and many other photographers.

And so during all these years and the distance he lost touch with his family and land, but in January 2011, he hopped onto another plane this time back to South Sudan to vote for independence. And in July 2011, South Sudan finally got its well-deserved freedom and Ger was there to celebrate his new nation’s independence, search for his family, and help build South Sudan.

Awesome right?!? Don’t you think this story would make a heartfelt real-life documentary? The kind that would complete the Lost Boys of Sudan trilogy that we got going on here? Well, the good news is that award winning Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu (From a Whisper, Pumzi) has been documenting Ger’s life for the past year and she has captured some wonderful footage and the documentary is in the final stage of production. We’re very close to completing this unique documentary and like any creatively awesome and life changing endeavor, we need moolah to finish this project. So we’re knocking at your door and hoping you’ll pledge and donate what you can to finish the editing of this unique story. We’re counting on you to help us see this through!

2 Responses to From Child Soldier to Filmmaker Activist: Ger Duany’s Story

Multiculturalism rocks?
I can understand the atttactions for non Europeans. However, it most certainly does not rock for Europeans. Disposession, being the victim of imported crime, being the victim of “possitive” discrimination, being unable to enter occupied parts of my own country and many more effects are just the start.
I have seen few, but extremely voiciferous, whites screech about how we should embrace multicul but when challenged they fall apart and being the name calling. This is evidence of their non existant argument.
I wonder can you tell me what benefits there are for Europeans.